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[juanmol]

Hello, i have install http://www.somethinginteractive.com/2009/05/06/guide-x10-cm15a-ubuntu/ and works nice, but i need to know the status of mi A1 light module. With the previous link i can turn on/off and modify the bright, but, how to know the status? I have read documentation like:
MisterHouse
http://www.linuxha.com/USB/
http://users.zoominternet.net/~cm15a/
and others ...

how i can get the status?
Ubuntu 10.04 kernel: 2.6.32-21-generic

[Brandt]

I'd think you would need a two-way communicating module to get it's status. Most are only one-way.

[Brian H]

Bandit nailed it. Only one or two X10 modules will report back their status as they are receive only.
The RR501 Tranceiver will report back a status as well as the discontinued LM14A Lamp; AM14A and AM15A Appliance modules.

[juanmol]

don't tel me that ... but in windows with the active home if i press on in my remote control it turn on the light and turn on the button on the program, is not the same?
I need turn on/off or modify the bright by the remote control, web interface or wall interruptor, and print the status in a web, so i need to know the status to these, i can't do that?

[Brian H]

The changes seen in Active Home come from the commands it see on the power line.

So the remote sends a on, off dim, bright and the screen changes to match the command. There is no guarantee the module actually saw the command and it was followed. With a two way module you can send it a status request and it will report its exact status back to the requester.

So you should be able to uses the commands being sent to know what the module is should be set to. If the module received and followed the command. Now if someone changes the modules locally. You will have no indication of the change. As no messages are sent by one way modules.

[juanmol]

  i have to buy new interfaces ...
and when i have the 2-way modules, how i can ask the status  in linux ubuntu 10.04?

pd:sorry again for my poor english.

[Brian H]

The CM15A is capable of sending an X10 Status Request. I have no idea on how to do it with Ubuntu or any Linux based system.
I know AHP; when I specified a AM14A two way module. The Icon for that module had a status button to send the request.

Your second problem is going to be finding two way modules. The X10 ones where discontinued a long time ago and I don't believe there was ever a two way X10 wall switch.
There are other brands of switches and module that can have an X10 address in them. The Smarthome Icon and Insteon modules are two way and respond to a status request, but there is a reporting difference. They report a %DIM message that at least AHP does not understand. Again what Linux software can do maybe different. Also compaired to X10 modules you will have Sticker Shock at the cost of Insteon and Icon modules.

[Charles Sullivan]

The CM15A is capable of sending an X10 Status Request. I have no idea on how to do it with Ubuntu or any Linux based system.
I know AHP; when I specified a AM14A two way module. The Icon for that module had a status button to send the request.

Your second problem is going to be finding two way modules. The X10 ones where discontinued a long time ago and I don't believe there was ever a two way X10 wall switch.
There are other brands of switches and module that can have an X10 address in them. The Smarthome Icon and Insteon modules are two way and respond to a status request, but there is a reporting difference. They report a %DIM message that at least AHP does not understand. Again what Linux software can do maybe different. Also compaired to X10 modules you will have Sticker Shock at the cost of Insteon and Icon modules.

Note that the Poll button on the AM14A icon sends an Extended_Status_Request, not a standard Status_Request.  (And unless they've fixed it, AHP screws up the Extended_Status_Ack, at least in the Monitor window.) 

I don't know whether Neil Cherry's CM15A driver for Linux has implemented the whole suite of X10 PLC commands or just the usual On/Off/Dim/Bright, or whether it reports received PLC signals back to the computer.

There's a Windows emulation software for Linux named WINE which may or may not work with AHP or the SDK.  If not, the OP would probably have to install a copy of Windows in a virtual box on his Ubuntu system (with Xen or VMware) and use the SDK ahcmd.exe command to send the Status_Request or other X10 command.

If the OP is in Europe, Marmitek sells what they call MicroModules which supposedly respond to Status_Request.

Instead of using the CM15, if the OP can acquire a CM11 interface there exists Linux software (.e.g., HEYU) which fully supports all X10 commands.

[Brian H]

Thank you Charles for the needed information.

[Brian H]

I may have read your earlier post wrong.
Did you say you had a two way module like a LM14A or AM14/15A?
If you do all you will have to find out is what Charles pointed out.

[Charles Sullivan]

I had forgotten about the RR501.  If there's a Poll button for it on the icon, it'll send a standard Status_Request but probably limited to units 1 and/or 9.

[Deemar]

a) How did you get a CM15A working in Linux and is it in any way better than a CM11A?

b) Why not install Heyu and do a status query? I forget the command but I've done it before and it returns an address string letting you know the states of the devices.